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Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys
Cataclysmic variable (CV) stars are binary stars mostly characterised by accretion from a main sequence donor star to a white dwarf star. Multiple CV subclasses exist with varia tions in the nature of the CV, many of which have accretion discs surrounding the accretor. This study focuses on two sub-...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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Department of Astronomy
2025
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| _version_ | 1867614162136334336 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Motsoaledi, Mokhine |
| author2 | Woudt, Patrick |
| author_browse | Motsoaledi, Mokhine Woudt, Patrick |
| author_facet | Woudt, Patrick Motsoaledi, Mokhine |
| author_sort | Motsoaledi, Mokhine |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Cataclysmic variable (CV) stars are binary stars mostly characterised by accretion from a main sequence donor star to a white dwarf star. Multiple CV subclasses exist with varia tions in the nature of the CV, many of which have accretion discs surrounding the accretor. This study focuses on two sub-classes of CVs, namely AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) stars with helium accretion from a (semi-)degenerate helium star or white dwarf donor star, and magnetic CVs, specifically polars, which have the strongest magnetic fields of the accreting white dwarfs in CVs and lack accretion discs. I make use of optical transient surveys to explore individual objects, as well as the global population of polars, with a focus on the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS). Follow-up observations were carried out with the 1-m and 1.9-m telescopes and the 10-m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). Observations of 7 outbursting AM CVn stars with orbital periods ranging from |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41096 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:39.386Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Department of Astronomy |
| publisherStr | Department of Astronomy |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/41096 Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys Motsoaledi, Mokhine Woudt, Patrick Buckley, David Warner, Brian optical transient surveys Cataclysmic variable (CV) stars are binary stars mostly characterised by accretion from a main sequence donor star to a white dwarf star. Multiple CV subclasses exist with varia tions in the nature of the CV, many of which have accretion discs surrounding the accretor. This study focuses on two sub-classes of CVs, namely AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) stars with helium accretion from a (semi-)degenerate helium star or white dwarf donor star, and magnetic CVs, specifically polars, which have the strongest magnetic fields of the accreting white dwarfs in CVs and lack accretion discs. I make use of optical transient surveys to explore individual objects, as well as the global population of polars, with a focus on the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS). Follow-up observations were carried out with the 1-m and 1.9-m telescopes and the 10-m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO). Observations of 7 outbursting AM CVn stars with orbital periods ranging from 2025-03-04T11:13:41Z 2025-03-04T11:13:41Z 2024 2025-03-04T11:03:24Z Thesis / Dissertation Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41096 en eng application/pdf Department of Astronomy Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | optical transient surveys Motsoaledi, Mokhine Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys |
| thesis_degree_str | Doctoral |
| title | Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys |
| title_full | Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys |
| title_fullStr | Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys |
| title_short | Accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars: insights from optical transient surveys |
| title_sort | accretion processes in cataclysmic variable stars insights from optical transient surveys |
| topic | optical transient surveys |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41096 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT motsoaledimokhine accretionprocessesincataclysmicvariablestarsinsightsfromopticaltransientsurveys |